


Magic is Real Here

by StellarStatic



Category: Summer Camp Island (Cartoon)
Genre: Anxiety, Autumn, Festivals, Gen, Magic, Potions, Rituals, Spells & Enchantments, Summer Camp, Time Travel, Witches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-26
Updated: 2020-11-26
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:13:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27721946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StellarStatic/pseuds/StellarStatic
Summary: After receiving an invitation to a witches' ceremony and learning about a fall festival in Heartforde, Hedgehog begins to question her priorities and pursuit of witchcraft.
Kudos: 5





	Magic is Real Here

###  **I.**

“U.M.P.S. delivery!”

Hedgehog turned around, Ava was at the door. It was seven in the morning, but Hedgehog was already wide awake brushing her teeth, following her habit of getting up early which had been solidified by her intuition to not waste any time. She didn’t mind opening the door with her pajamas on, the island was starting to cool and most of the campers were already wearing their jackets, sweaters, and even pajamas, too, in preparation for the changing weather.

“Thanks, Ava!” Hedgehog exclaimed.

She picked up the papers placed on her cabin doorstep, flipping through the magazines and pamphlets expecting yet another fruitless batch, ready to be discarded. Hedgehog, however, found herself engaged for once, eyeing a few things that had caught her attention. She swiftly shut the door, dashed to her seat, and passed the monster under her bed that day’s Heartforde Herald. The autumn edition of the camp guide and a letter from Betsy were placed front and center on her desk with Hedgehog gravitating towards the latter. She could not wait to read what awaited her. Carefully opening the delicate envelope sealed shut by the witch’s crescent moon wax seal, a tingling sense of anticipation had entranced her. The formality was oddly welcoming.

_Dear Hedgehog,_

_I, Betsy Spellman, along with Alice Fefferman and Susie McCallister are pleased to invite you to this year’s Autumn Ceremony of Magic, dedicated to preserving the magical balance of the summer camp!_

Hedgehog was ecstatic. She hadn’t been training with Betsy for long, so the invitation came as a genuine surprise to her. Eager to know more about the event while on the edge of her seat, she continued reading, fixated.

_Each season we—camp counselor witches—commit to a recasting of the island’s energy binding spell, ensuring the conservation of magic during periods of mass magic fluctuation. We’re hopeful for your attendance as an apprentice, as you will receive hands-on enchantment experience and an opportunity to learn more about the management of Summer Camp Island. Meet us at the Camp Counselor Quarters by 8:00 P.M. tonight. Let’s celebrate the autumn season with the wonders of magic, cheers!_

Hedgehog laid the letter down, caught in a special kind of disbelief that its mere existence was enough to be fulfilling. The experience seemed incredible, who knew what potions and spells she’d cast! Hedgehog pondered for a moment. The invitation, despite how fantastical and delightful it seemed, she thought, still suggested that it was an important responsibility, a calling with its own perks and disadvantages. Hedgehog checked her calendar. She was free for the night and no full moon was scheduled to appear. She still needed some time to think about preparing, considering that her training's been nothing but laborious and demanding, but the promising details of the ceremony were exciting nonetheless. Hedgehog attempted to shift her attention to the camp guide but was still stuck thinking about the letter. An anxiety brewed within her. Her chest felt like it was being pulled by a weight, tugging her heart at a direction she wasn't comfortable with. She's not ready for the ceremony tonight. Hedgehog dismissed her worries, insisting to herself that she would partake in the most rewarding opportunity of her life and that she still had hours to spend before she was to be summoned for the event. Her nerves were justified for sure, especially because of the mild pressure to perform well in the presence of the senior magicians for the sake of the island, but they shouldn't interfere with her attitude. Right? Hedgehog took a deep breath in her cold cabin, halting her thoughts, almost meditating. It was seven in the morning. She got up from her desk and began to change from her pajamas. Finally having moved on from the invitation after fitting her shoes, Hedgehog proceeded to analyze the autumn edition of the camp guide. Opening its freshly delivered pages, she began to read aloud to herself, already skimming a few seconds in.

“Pupperweeds won’t bloom as much as they used to during the summer as the fall season progresses… several species of bear and their hibernation cycles… spooky greeting pumpkins will start to ripen in the coming weeks… ooh, the section on Heartforde. Hmm. September 23rd, that’s today,” Hedgehog muttered. “Yoink!”

“Hey! I was reading that. What are you even looking for, the classifieds?” the monster under her bed replied, irritated.

“Oh, I’m just checking out the front page. Sweet, Heartforde Fall Fest! Do you know anything about it?”

"It’s a bore. The last time I went there was nothing to do but eat expensive food and pace around. Why exactly are you excited for it, darling?”

"I don’t know about you but the festival _does_ sound pretty neat to me. I'm legitimately excited for it. I might go with Oscar if I get the chance to later.”

The monster under her bed scoffed in a subtle manner.

“I just said that it’s not good.”

“Whatever, monster. I’m gonna go eat some breakfast in the mess hall, do you want me to get you anything?”

“A black coffee.”

“But the lunch monster doesn’t serve coffee to campers.”

“Go then. I’m fine here with just the paper.”

The semi-transparent monster raised his eyebrow along with his hand, demanding the newspaper. Hedgehog returned it to him, ready to meet up with her best friend and share the news. Just as she was about to open the door, a familiar voice spoke.

“Hello! Good morning!” Oscar shouted, muffled from the inside of the walls.

Hedgehog chuckled a bit; Oscar's cheeriness was always a delight. She opened the door to her cabin, glad to see her elephant friend.

“Good morning, Oscar. Hey, check this out! I just received the new camp guide and a letter from Betsy!”

“Whoa, that’s awesome! I haven't read my fall camp guide book yet. Maybe we could read it together at the mess hall. What’s the letter about?”

“Says here I’ve been invited to a witches’ ceremony! 8:00 P.M. tonight at the Camp Counselor Quarters. Ooh, and the Heartforde Fall Festival is today!”

“CONGRATULATIONS! Sorry, that was a little too loud. Hedgehog, that's really really exciting! You think we can attend both?” Oscar cheerfully asked.

"Well, maybe if we went to Heartforde after breakfast we could spend a few hours at the town square for the festival, it seems like the perfect way to spend the day. I’m not sure if you can come to the ceremony, though. Sorry, Oscar, but the invitation was only addressed to me.”

“Oh,” Oscar mumbled, pausing for a second. “Hey, at least we can hang out together and have a blast before your witch gathering.”

“Actually, you’re right. I hope we have a lot of fun, before, y'know, I go to training-to-become-a-witch Camp Island.”

Hedgehog couldn’t help but notice Oscar’s spirit dip after she told him that he might not be there for her.

“Oscar, maybe tomorrow we could go to the unicorn stable. Or the meadow. We haven’t been to either of those places in awhile, what do you say?”

“Wait, really?”

“Yes, really. You’re my best friend. Want to go on an adventure perhaps to either of those places tomorrow?"

“Thanks, Hedgehog. I’d love to,” Oscar replied with a smile.

After strolling by the woods and catching a glimpse of the softball field, which was occupied by aliens who had come to spectate the first game of the season, the two made it to the mess hall. There, Hedgehog read the camp guide aloud to Oscar, as she did in her cabin without glancing over the intricate explanations of the nuanced wonders of the island. Both of the campers had a bowl of apple slices and an egg biscuit with them, but they hardly touched their meals, instead going into depth with the text before them. Reflecting on what she was reading, the contents of the camp guide were beginning to baffle Hedgehog. The more she learned about the incoming oddities and their complexities, the more she was reminded of Betsy’s letter and its implications on her journey to pursue witchcraft. For a moment, everything having to do with magic was starting to look intimidating and unfamiliar all over again, as if she was a brand new camper; as if she was standing before Betsy for a test. She closed the book, setting it aside.

"Wait, why did you close the book?"

“Oscar, can I tell you something?”

“You can tell me anything, I’m your best friend.”

“Thank you. Well, um.”

Hedgehog struggled to begin to express her emotions with words. She still hadn't pinpointed the exact reason for her droning anxiety from thinking about Betsy’s invitation, but she felt an urgency to tell Oscar all about it. Hedgehog sighed and decided to be honest, regardless of how confident she was in explaining herself.

“Oscar, I don’t think I'm cut out for this witch stuff tonight."

“Wait, what? Hedgehog, you’ve always wanted to become a witch since we arrived at camp; you thought magic was fascinating and worth the effort to study and such..." Oscar inched closer. "What’s wrong?"

“Wait, I take that back, I said that spontaneously without thinking too much. I guess what I meant to say is this ceremony I have to go to tonight has been making me question if I want to become a witch right now. On one hand I’m like, wow, this is incredible and exciting and I can’t wait to experience this first-hand with the witches. But I’m also apprehensive, I guess, and getting a bit anxious about the idea of myself becoming partially responsible for this strange and magical place because of a duty I was kind of tossed into out of nowhere."

Hedgehog took a much needed moment to process her concerns, figuring out that she had to bring up her abstract feeling of unpreparedness.

"I'm definitely not as experienced as the other camp counselor witches, and now they want me to start helping them with their rituals. It's nerve wracking. I wish I had a few more days to prepare. You know how my mom’s educational plan stresses me out, I’m basically going through something similar right now with this.”

"Oh geez, that's a lot," Oscar replied, concerned. "I think you should treasure the time you have left before your ceremony and relax. Hey, let's go to Heartforde Fall Fest. together, we can talk about it there. I think the environment will make you feel better in no time."

"Thanks, Oscar. Your enthusiasm is convincing me that this isn't as stressful as I'm making it out to be. I feel a little more confident now that I can tame my worries; I'm just as willing to leave them behind and have fun."

The two had a light breakfast, so they looked forward to stuffing themselves silly with great food in Heartforde. Hedgehog knocked on Susie's cabin after yet another brisk walk through the forest, slightly nervous, feeling as if Betsy's cabin was peering directly at her. Watching, waiting. A poof could be heard before Susie opened her door, implying that she was elsewhere.

"What are you two babies here for?" Susie asked, stubbornly.

"Hi, Susie-"

"Shut up, Oscar. Hedgehog, why are you and mum's boy here?"

"Oh, could you let us into Heartforde, please?"

"This way. I don't have all day for crying out loud, I've got a ritual to prepare for. Hedgehog, you know about tonight's gathering, right?"

"Yeah actually I've-"

"Good. You kids don't take too long down there, especially you, _apprentice_."

"I know, I know. Hey, I've been meaning to ask you something. Can Oscar come?"

"UGH. No! I don't even want him near me. Besides, this is a pretentious ceremony you're talking about, where only the most promising students of magic are invited. So come help us do the island's chores for educational purposes later, Hedgehog, without Oscar. Go, now."

Susie vanished in an instant, unlatching the entrance to the city with a flick of her wand.

"Oscar, that was the first time Susie called me an apprentice! Alright, I think I'm ready for this."

"Ready for what?"

"Ready to go to Heartforde! Let's go, I can't wait."

###  **II.**

A crisp gust of wind enveloped the gentle town, diffusing a pleasant arboreous fragrance. The shops surrounding the central plaza had left their doors open to welcome visitors who had come to attend the Heartforde Fall Festival, allowing the refreshing air to ventilate the humble businesses in addition to the lungs of the public. Oscar and Hedgehog had just arrived at the town square, but they were already delighted to experience the community's commitment to an exquisite autumn day filled with music, food, and activities. The pair spent some time wandering the seemingly grandiose streets, unsure of where to go next as they gazed at the city's flora and decorations. They highlighted a harmony between the townsfolk and nature, both of whom came together to celebrate the autumn season with peace and comfort, free of the supernatural. About an hour had passed since the campers began their visit when Oscar softly tugged on Hedgehog's burgundy cotton sleeve, merry to tell her that he wanted to get something from a coffee shop on the other side of a crosswalk they were by. She happily obliged to go with him there, also wanting to buy a drink for herself. The brick-and-mortar café was called Timmy's. A jazz pianist sat outside playing hearty melodies for the crowd and customers alike, greeting Oscar and Hedgehog with a sincere welcome. The elephant boy giggled as he struck the entrance door's chimes.

"Hello! What would you two kids like?" asked the cashier, a lanky ferret woman with sleek silver glasses. She had a warm quality and an approachable smile.

"I'd like a sixteen-ounce cup of Lavender Blossom, please. Oscar, you?"

"Ooh, what kind of stuff does this place sell?"

"We've got coffee – of course – as well as teas, juices, pastries, snacks, and some other miscellaneous beverages. Your friend here ordered a Timmy's special, it's on the menu."

"Hmm. I'd like some hot chocolate, medium sized, with whipped cream on top. Yeah, and a bag of caramel popcorn!"

"Fantastic, is that all?"

"Mhm."

"That'll be eleven dollars and 75 cents," concluded the cashier. Hedgehog interjected.

"I'll pay for the both of us, Oscar. I've got the money. Go find a spot for us to sit, I'll meet up with you once I have our order."

"Aw. Thanks, Hedgehog," Oscar replied, heading to the direction of the music.

As Hedgehog took a seat on a lumber bench beside the cashier's station, she took a deep breath as well, making a conscious effort to take in the overwhelming coffee scent of the café's aroma. Up to that point, she hadn't really been thinking about the witches’ ceremony. The on-going festival was enough to soothe her nerves a bit, and it was nice to be in a relatively peaceful environment for a change. It wasn't the most quiet place in the world - the coffee shop was actually louder than the mess hall by comparison - but it was still peaceful nonetheless. The predictability was reassuring. Hedgehog closed her eyes and perked her ears, catching the café chorus consisting of ceramic mug click-clacks and the bustling chatter of the other customers. The pianist was playing a lively tune, their wailing piano contributing to the ambiance. No magic, no surprises, no letters, invitations, or even mail deliveries for that matter. Her intuition took a moment to rest, as she did as well. Hedgehog got up and walked to the entrance, where Oscar had already found a table for two and something for him to listen to attentively.

"Hey, Oscar, I'm starting to get a little hungry. I didn't eat a lot this morning."

"Oh hello! I am a bit hungry, too. My caramel popcorn still isn't here at all and I'm craving something savory right now, honestly. Look over there, there's a food stand. Heartforde Hot Dogs and Hoagies."

“Right.”

“Hedgehog, you’ve been nothing but kind today, let _me_ go buy us some food. I can certainly show you that I can do it myself. Look, I’ll get you a hotdog, like one they'd sell in the softball field.”

“Okay, see ya.”

Oscar waltzed over to the food stand, clearly still concentrating on the pianist's music as he bumped into the cafe’s outdoor menu board.

“I’m wasting time,” Hedgehog murmured, drowned out by the million other noises in the room.

She was now partially dazed, stuck in a dilemma she tried desperately to avoid, which worsened it. Her mind had become gluttonous, her body starving. Hedgehog came to the realization that every moment she spent in Heartforde consumed the remaining time she had left before the ceremony. She'd mostly made up her mind to attend the festival because it served as temporary escapism, but it was indeed unnecessary. The surface level whims weren’t enough to tame her concerns; she needed to either leave Heartforde or make the most of it. Oscar had encouraged Hedgehog to stay and treasure the fine things, but her anxiousness yearned for more time to practice, to learn... to prepare. She had until 8:00 P.M. tonight. About eleven hours to decide. Is there a solution for her worries? Hedgehog sat there alone, unable to answer. Unable to eat, either; Oscar couldn’t make it out there on food duty. He needed her presence, he was embarrassing himself.

###  **III.**

“Susie, could you do me a favor?”

“Sure, Betsy.”

“Pass me the spooky greeting pumpkin we harvested earlier, please, I need its pulp.”

The young plump squash gulped.

“For the Potion of Presumed Permanence.”

“Which is reserved for Hedgehog to handle later, yes."

Betsy peered into the forest, her concoction glowing and illuminating a portion of the area. The fire beneath the cauldron she was tending was warm and softly burning, reduced to simmer.

"Say, now that I'm thinking about it, do you know where Hedgehog is at? I'd assume she'd be here already, she's always early, and it's almost 8 o'clock."

"I dunno exactly, but she definitely went to Heartforde. Had to open the entrance for them earlier."

"Them?" Betsy asked.

"Oscar and Hedgehog."

"Huh, guess she went to have fun there with him. I better go and call her to come."

Betsy stepped away from the cauldron and buttoned her coat, as black as the darkness of the vacant woods. Alice, however, had something to say.

"I don't think you should abandon your post at this hour. The clock's ticking and I'm confident Hedgehog should arrive any minute now."

"Well, Alice, we've already completed the observance and we're almost done brewing the required ingredients for the final potion. Only the main ritual is left to fulfill, and Hedgehog should be here by now; the sooner the better. We worked hard to keep the magic of this island stable and contained, remember? I'm trying to play it safe. I should've sent the invitation a few days earlier or so. Perhaps that would have driven her to arrive as soon as possible. I get that asking somebody for their time on the same day they are needed is too much, but I had a reason to assume that she would be ready to go. I guess I was wrong, she’s not here yet and I’d rather have her arrive now than later."

"Okay, you're right. Go ahead," Alice replied, returning to her reserved, focused position over the remaining ingredients.

"Yep, bring her over," Susie added.

Betsy lifted her arm and grasped her decades-old broom, which had flown on its own to her possession. She leaped onto it and began her flight. With her wand in hand, Betsy opened Susie's doors, including her basement. In seconds, Betsy was already in Heartforde, searching for Hedgehog. She could feel her presence away from the bustling town, which had gotten louder as the hours passed and parades continued. She flew eastbound, following her senses which had been instilled in her from years of training and experience in the field of tracking, back when Betsy dealt with the Jabberwocks and studied yeti migration patterns. With a bird's-eye view of a hill away from the urban center, it didn't take long for her to find Hedgehog. She was standing atop a small mountain, watching the twilight, contemplating. Betsy flew down and landed adjacent to the apprentice, startling her.

"Hedgehog, we have a little over ten minutes before it's 8 P.M., let's go. I'm here to pick you up."

"Oh, geez. Hi, Betsy... I didn't know it was almost time. I'm sorry you had to stop what you were doing to come get me, I really am. I got caught up thinking about things and not doing much..."

"Hey, it's okay, you're not in trouble or anything. Hop on, we don't have much time."

The witch flew at a slower pace, making sure Hedgehog wasn't too frightened or got motion sickness, and she wasn't in a hurry anymore, either. Betsy broke the short-lived silence.

"Where's Oscar?"

"He's asleep in Mrs. Goose's house. He got tired rather quickly and left not too long ago. Didn't want to walk too much. He also had a tummy ache."

"Aw, poor guy. Why'd you stay then?"

Hedgehog remained quiet briefly.

"I wanted to take in the atmosphere a bit more. I don't go to Heartforde very often and today I felt very limited and confused going in. The environment here has been therapeutic for me and I've been needing relief more than ever. This festival I tried to enjoy was really just a waste of time to be honest. Expensive food, pacing around. It wasn’t fulfilling at all. I will admit I was trying to avoid thinking about the ceremony, too, it's been stressing me out. I thought telling myself that I was ready and that I just needed to have the right state of mind would be a better use of my time than preparing frantically for whatever waits."

"I understand. I just want you to participate in the ceremony and learn from it now. It's all I'm gonna ask of you."

"Alright."

By the time the two had finished their conversation, Betsy arrived at the Camp Counselor Quarters along with the young apprentice.

"Hedgehog, we've been waiting for you."

"I know, Susie. Now that I'm here, let's start. I feel ready."

"That's good to hear," Betsy responded.

With a single whirl of her wand, Susie finalized the preparations necessary for the ceremony. An invisibility dome was created around them, to prevent any interference and camouflage the delicate and precise ritual from the other campers. A large amount of space was needed for the potion to be poured on, and the ceremony had to go free of error due to the strict requirements it entailed. The collection of concoctions the coven were working on were magically placed together on a nearby table, neatly organized in chronological order of use from left to right. The witches approached the cauldron in the center and began the ritual. They initiated their chant in unison.

_"The new season is upon us, its significance is great._

_Magic has passed the test of time and shall be again aided on this very date._

_This island home of ours must continue to thrive._

_Apprentice, will you help us keep the balance alive?"_

"I will."

The cauldron fire roared, its eruption boiling the Potion of Presumed Permanence.

"Hedgehog, Betsy here is going to give you some instructions and you must follow them exactly as she says. Don’t mess this up. Pay attention, please," Susie advised, a bit confrontational.

"Thank you, Susie. Alright, bring the leftmost jar."

Hedgehog retrieved the glass container, which was filled with a purple sludge.

"Do you know what's already in this cauldron?"

"Oh, it's a potion base from the looks of it. It'll make the recipe more effective," Hedgehog answered.

"That's right! The glow is coming from a cave crystal and we used pumpkin pulp for its consistency and ties with autumnal growth, among other things. Trust me, it works."

"Interesting, and what's this jar I'm holding for?"

"That's a key ingredient there. Despite its appearance it'll make the final potion a lot more fluid."

"Ooh. Do I dump it in, or...?"

"Go ahead."

"Nice!"

Hedgehog was beginning to get the hang of things. She wasn't wrong to assume that the ceremony would be wonderful, it just started and she was already enjoying the process and contributions she was making. The tasks she was told to do seemed straightforward and easy. Watching the potion and group come together for a greater purpose felt amazing as well. Hedgehog relaxed a little.

“For the second main ingredient, you shall toss five pounds of aged tree roots into the cauldron. I already weighed the roots, so you just have to throw them in.”

“Great, I got this.”

The roots dissolved immediately when they came into contact with the giant potion, like a powder diffusing in water.

"Apprentice, grab the dropper on the table."

"Alrighty," Hedgehog replied, nodding.

"Now, let me explain this Potion of Presumed Permanence for you."

Hedgehog looked into the cauldron, noting the changes she had made to it.

"The potion is as permanent as the conditions for it are, so changes in the domain it possesses weakens its selected effects. When the seasons pass, the island experiences mass-magic fluctuation, which threatens the livelihood of the summer camp's inhabitants, our powers, and the secrecy of the magic around us from the rest of the world. We camp counselor witches create Potions of Presumed Permanences to combat that, and you're here with us, helping out the entirety of the island a whole lot."

"Hurry it up, will ya!" Susie yelled. "Sorry, but, we're being timed by nature."

"Right, right. There's a large amount of the potion by design to allow it to truly be absorbed by the earth and enchant the area. We're going to pour it on the ground nearby once the potion's finalized and our concluding chants have been spoken. It'll keep the energy of the summer camp securely bonded to the bounds of the island and balanced, which brings us to the next key ingredient, the potion that does the actual energy binding. Make sure to only squeeze three drops of it, it is very powerful. Too much would tightly pack all of the local magic into a small, dense radius, and too little would make the island more prone to fluctuation-related imbalances. Take it away."

Hedgehog carefully raised the dropper she had been holding over the potion, squeezing it three times with her fingers, which were in a very tense state. Shaking. One, two, three. The final press, however, was prolonged accidentally, releasing an excessive amount of the potion. The head counselor gasped, being the first to speak after the mishap.

"HEDGEHOG!"

"Susie, calm down. I'm sorry but you put too much."

The apprentice screamed in shock, realizing that she had made a grave mistake. A firm press was enough to push her into a gauntlet of terror. In an instant, Hedgehog had almost entirely erased her hope of preserving the centuries-old equilibrium. Despite the chance that there was a solution to her blunder, she felt defeated because of it, believing that she had let the camp down.

"What are we gonna do? The extra liquid has to be neutralized enough for it to mix properly again, and it's almost time to wrap up the potion!" Alice exclaimed.

"That's true, we can neutralize it, but I don't know how much of the unraveling potion to put in. It's too late to calculate the excess…"

"WHY DON'T WE JUST START ALL OVER?!" Susie shouted, causing the trees of the forest around them to violently shake with the intensity of her voice alone, like a hurricane.

"We don't have enough time for that, you know this. Now, Hedgehog, don't panic, but I'm gonna ask you to step away from the cauldron going forward," Betsy assured.

"I'm so sorry!" apologized the apprentice timidly, tears running down her face.

“If we don’t correct the Potion of Presumed Permanence before us, the covenant between magic and our humble island would break. The earth demands our potion. A disaster threatening magic has never been so imminent before, I’m not sure if we could make it.”

"How many drops are in an abrupt gush?" Alice asked, clearly distraught.

"I don't know, I don't know. Do you have a spare spoon I could use?"

"I do, here you go!"

"Now, Susie, I'm going to put a dash of the unraveling potion to hopefully reverse the effects of the excess. Please, hand it over."

"Just take it!”

Hedgehog's guilt was cripplingly awful. And to think that she wanted to distance herself from all things magic a mere few hours earlier, her mind thought. The fate of the island on the greatest level had been decided, and it was her fault. Not because she wasn't prepared, but because she was hesitant and stressed. Alice paced back and forth unsure of what to do as Susie shouted in anger, preparing to fly away and prevent the ensuing incident herself. Amidst the chaotic reactions, Betsy approached the apprentice almost confidently, wiping Hedgehog's tears away with a response.

"I’ve got a better idea. Hedgehog, I’m going to teleport you to the time traveling quicksand. Wish to return to the past, and make sure to not repeat your mistake when the time comes again. You'll leave the portion of time you wished to reverse behind, erasing what has happened from our timeline. Don't worry about us witches or the island, your future success will be redeeming, and none of us would be aware you had to try once more in the first place. I wish you the best, you still have a chance to make things right.”

Betsy shot Hedgehog with a beam of clouds and sparkles. The apprentice now stood alone beside the quicksand - no longer sobbing - with only moments to spare before the power around her would release beyond control. She leaped into the sand, engulfing her body as her heart was drowned by extreme remorse. Hedgehog cried out, giving herself a second chance.

“THIRTEEN HOURS AGO!”


End file.
